As I have explained in previous columns for CapX, there are a number of myths surrounding the Nordic countries that don’t stand up to scrutiny. These include the notion that long life span in Nordic nations arose as the public sector expanded, the idea that generous public programs alone explain low levels of Nordic poverty and the myth that Nordic countries are bumblebees that defy gravity by not being adversely affected by high taxes.

If you’re still not convinced, consider this simple thought experiment from Washington Post reporter Matt O’Brien: “Adjusted for inflation, would you rather make $50,000 in today’s world or $100,000 in 1980’s?” Is that added dough enough for you to give up your flat-screen television, smartphone, and internet access? If it isn’t, or if the answer isn’t obvious, that would suggest living standards aren’t stagnant or anything close to it. Indeed, before [economist Jason] Furman joined Team Obama, he wrote that Americans “are substantially better off than they were 30 years ago.”